Just got back from taking Mary 2 states away to put flowers on her parents’ graves and a flag ion her Dad’s marker. Exhausting trip but Mary is good company, we met up with some old friends of hers/and her parents and she had a good time. You should appreciate this– It was a tiny, out-of-the way cemetery waaay out in the sticks, old and somewhat neglected. But someone had come out there & placed flags on the graves of veterans… and these graves are not marked in any way that says “Veteran” so someone there is keeping track of the names & locations– even the obscure ones– & remembering them.
Dan, nice story! It makes me feel proud to know that someone is keeping track of our fallen heroes so they can be honored. Diane and I placed flowers on her father’s grave. He served in the Army in Europe during WWII. My sister places flowers on my father’s mausoleum for the rest of the family. My father served on a destroyer in the Pacific in WWII.
Nice, Dan. I’m sure my sister puts flowers on my father’s, too, George. As you know he served nearly 4 years in England.
We’re having our 147th Memorial Day Parade in Bay Ridge today. I was concerned about the bad weather, but all the rain came through overnight and is already done and moving out east. It will be cloudy but dry and a lot cooler than the 90+ we had twice this week.
Jeff, Western NY has experienced very hot weather this weekend. It hit 90 on Saturday and 88 yesterday. Today will be more temperate: 78. And some of the mugginess will be gone. No matter, I’m hunkered down in the A/C with a stack of Big Fat Books!
I’m at my parents’ home–a family gathering to celebrate their 60th anniversary. And one of the family members is my sister, a veteran who proudly served 25 years in the Air Force. I’m cooking for everyone today–a very non-Memorial Day meal of lasagne and fixings. The cookout is gonna be on June 2–the anniversary.
Thank you to all our veterans and active duty military! And especially to those who have paid the ultimate price.
What George said. As far as I’m concerned you cannot go wrong with lasagna.
My parents made it to their 65th and we had a big Anniversary party for them in Arizona. Hope your parents have a great 60th.
Jerry House
A time to reflect on brave men and women, sacrifice, our liberties and our responsibilities and a time (sadly) to reflect on stupid politicians. I hope for a time when all wars and battles are those that truly need to be fought.
Of course – I say this every year – Memorial Day is for anyone who we want to remember, mostly family in my case, not just Vets (that’s Veterans Day). I always take some time to remember my parents and everything they did for me, and my brother, and the wonderful life they lived. I still miss them. Sometimes when we’re out in our garden, I turn to Barbara and say “My mom would have loved this.” She gave me my love of gardening.
For us Europeans and especially for our German fathers who fought for Hitler it’s always difficult to remember those bloody wars.
I’m so happy that I didn’t have to fight like all generations before in Europe – if you try to insert some logic in to the wars of the 18th to the 20th Century you’d probably go crazy – one generation the French fight the English and the Prussians fight the Austrians – a few generations later it’s Prussians and Austrians against French and English and in the end culminating in WW2 …
At least I still have the papers of the French Authorities that say that my father was an “also ran” – as a soldier he thougt it was his duty to fight, but he was no nazi, not even a party member.
As John lennon wrote and sang:
Yes, George, and the talk about re-erecting borders and fences in Europe gives me the creeps …
And I was so happy about the progress that the EU made – I still remember those first holidays where you had to wait at the borders and show your passports every few hundred miles to get to Spain or Greece for a holiday, some times waiting for hours ad having to answer strange questions …
Even the English searched my car once thoroughly (like the TSA does today …) and I always felt that one thing worth to have died for was a free and united democratic Europe – I find it really strange that for some people “The United States of Europe” is some negative idea …
I hope you all enjoy your holiday and especially your meals! Lasagne is also a favourite of ours and I have a little story to tell, though rather OT, it might lighten up this day:
My father wouldn’t eat tomatoes or any kind of noodles – in East Prussia where he was from they only had potatoes – but over the years he adjusted to Spaghetti Bolognese and Lasagna which were the children’s favourites.
My wife knew Spaghetti and Bolognese sauce but hadn’t heard of Lasagne (in Hungary you couldn’t get Italian pasta in Communist times of course) but when she tried it once in my sister’s house she immediately liked it and asked ho they were done. I told her and of course she knew all the ingredients – so a week later she (with my help) made her first Lasagne – and they were marvellous! And she was already over 60 at that time …
Wolf, I loved your story about your wife’s first experience with lasagna! We have a dozen wonderful local Italian restaurants that serve incredible lasagna, but my wife makes terrific lasagna, too!
I always take a moment to remember and thank the fallen, a few of whom I served with.
add a comma after fallen. I was sure I typed it!
Bob, I added the comma. And thank you for your service.
Just got back from taking Mary 2 states away to put flowers on her parents’ graves and a flag ion her Dad’s marker. Exhausting trip but Mary is good company, we met up with some old friends of hers/and her parents and she had a good time. You should appreciate this– It was a tiny, out-of-the way cemetery waaay out in the sticks, old and somewhat neglected. But someone had come out there & placed flags on the graves of veterans… and these graves are not marked in any way that says “Veteran” so someone there is keeping track of the names & locations– even the obscure ones– & remembering them.
Dan, nice story! It makes me feel proud to know that someone is keeping track of our fallen heroes so they can be honored. Diane and I placed flowers on her father’s grave. He served in the Army in Europe during WWII. My sister places flowers on my father’s mausoleum for the rest of the family. My father served on a destroyer in the Pacific in WWII.
Nice, Dan. I’m sure my sister puts flowers on my father’s, too, George. As you know he served nearly 4 years in England.
We’re having our 147th Memorial Day Parade in Bay Ridge today. I was concerned about the bad weather, but all the rain came through overnight and is already done and moving out east. It will be cloudy but dry and a lot cooler than the 90+ we had twice this week.
Jeff, Western NY has experienced very hot weather this weekend. It hit 90 on Saturday and 88 yesterday. Today will be more temperate: 78. And some of the mugginess will be gone. No matter, I’m hunkered down in the A/C with a stack of Big Fat Books!
I’m at my parents’ home–a family gathering to celebrate their 60th anniversary. And one of the family members is my sister, a veteran who proudly served 25 years in the Air Force. I’m cooking for everyone today–a very non-Memorial Day meal of lasagne and fixings. The cookout is gonna be on June 2–the anniversary.
Thank you to all our veterans and active duty military! And especially to those who have paid the ultimate price.
Deb, yummy lasagna is perfect for almost any occasion! It’s good of you to be cooking for everyone!
What George said. As far as I’m concerned you cannot go wrong with lasagna.
My parents made it to their 65th and we had a big Anniversary party for them in Arizona. Hope your parents have a great 60th.
A time to reflect on brave men and women, sacrifice, our liberties and our responsibilities and a time (sadly) to reflect on stupid politicians. I hope for a time when all wars and battles are those that truly need to be fought.
Enjoy the day, George. Barbeque plans?
Of course – I say this every year – Memorial Day is for anyone who we want to remember, mostly family in my case, not just Vets (that’s Veterans Day). I always take some time to remember my parents and everything they did for me, and my brother, and the wonderful life they lived. I still miss them. Sometimes when we’re out in our garden, I turn to Barbara and say “My mom would have loved this.” She gave me my love of gardening.
Rick, what an eloquent statement!
For us Europeans and especially for our German fathers who fought for Hitler it’s always difficult to remember those bloody wars.
I’m so happy that I didn’t have to fight like all generations before in Europe – if you try to insert some logic in to the wars of the 18th to the 20th Century you’d probably go crazy – one generation the French fight the English and the Prussians fight the Austrians – a few generations later it’s Prussians and Austrians against French and English and in the end culminating in WW2 …
At least I still have the papers of the French Authorities that say that my father was an “also ran” – as a soldier he thougt it was his duty to fight, but he was no nazi, not even a party member.
As John lennon wrote and sang:
Give peace a chance!
Wolf, I’m with you on “Give peace a chance” but we live in a violent world.
Yes, George, and the talk about re-erecting borders and fences in Europe gives me the creeps …
And I was so happy about the progress that the EU made – I still remember those first holidays where you had to wait at the borders and show your passports every few hundred miles to get to Spain or Greece for a holiday, some times waiting for hours ad having to answer strange questions …
Even the English searched my car once thoroughly (like the TSA does today …) and I always felt that one thing worth to have died for was a free and united democratic Europe – I find it really strange that for some people “The United States of Europe” is some negative idea …
I hope you all enjoy your holiday and especially your meals! Lasagne is also a favourite of ours and I have a little story to tell, though rather OT, it might lighten up this day:
My father wouldn’t eat tomatoes or any kind of noodles – in East Prussia where he was from they only had potatoes – but over the years he adjusted to Spaghetti Bolognese and Lasagna which were the children’s favourites.
My wife knew Spaghetti and Bolognese sauce but hadn’t heard of Lasagne (in Hungary you couldn’t get Italian pasta in Communist times of course) but when she tried it once in my sister’s house she immediately liked it and asked ho they were done. I told her and of course she knew all the ingredients – so a week later she (with my help) made her first Lasagne – and they were marvellous! And she was already over 60 at that time …
Wolf, I loved your story about your wife’s first experience with lasagna! We have a dozen wonderful local Italian restaurants that serve incredible lasagna, but my wife makes terrific lasagna, too!